The recent widespread growth of feature-rich, relatively portable, and user-friendly consumer electronic devices has sparked a corresponding consumer demand for implementation of similar functionality in conventional appliances and utilitarian devices. For example, more consumers are demanding modern touchscreen interfaces in utility appliances like televisions, refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines. Even modern thermostats are integrating gesture-controllable, fully-networked and remotely accessible user interfaces (UIs). Even the automobile, often thought of as the quintessential utilitarian machine, has not been impervious to recent trends to incorporate as many options and features accessible to the driver as possible—from mechanical switch controls for climate, navigation, and radio systems integrated into the steering wheel, to touchscreen interfaces and camera displays integrated into the dashboard.
Although consumer demand for incorporating greater functionality into the automotive driving experience is growing rapidly, there are a number of problems with meeting such demand. First, conventional capacitive sense touchscreen technologies, such as those used in smartphones and tablet devices, while ideal for incorporating a large amount of functionality in a relatively limited space, require significant visual engagement by the driver and are therefore too distracting to be implemented safely. Second, while the conventional mechanical switches and knobs that are currently in use are less distracting because they can be safely used without requiring the driver to remove his eyes from the road, they tend to have limited flexibility, with each switch controlling a single function or feature.
One solution for combining the flexibility and versatility of touchscreen technologies while still allowing the driver to remain attentive for safely operating the vehicle involves the use of force-based haptic human-machine interfaces (HMIs). Force-based haptic HMIs typically include a sensor surface that is responsive to touch and an actuator for generating a responsive vibration (often simulating the response provided by a mechanical switch) that provides the driver with a tactile confirmation of an input on the touchscreen. These systems incorporate the haptic feedback that drivers have come to rely on of mechanical switches with the multi-touch, multifunction flexibility of touchscreen controls.
One problem with force-based haptic HMIs, particularly in automobiles and other mechanical systems, is that accidental or inadvertent touches are much more common due to the inability of the driver to continuously view with the touch interface while driving. As a result, conventional interfaces that rely exclusively on a single sensory feedback response (e.g., visible displays) tend to be ineffective in situations where a user is unable to completely focus on the HMI. Furthermore, packaging issues associated with including multiple sensory feedback capabilities tend to require a significant amount of packaging area to accommodate the hardware needed to support multiple sensory output. Thus, a switch panel for including capabilities for stimulating multiple senses, while limiting packaging size would be particular advantageous.
The presently disclosed force-based touch interface with integrated multi-sensory feedback are directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems in the art.